


I'd stay if you asked me

by smaragdbird



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Alexios is a good boyfriend, Character Death, Developing Relationship, Family, Kid Fic, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Stentor-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:01:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27183514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smaragdbird/pseuds/smaragdbird
Summary: Stentor gets the news that a member of his syssitias has died and he needs to return to Sparta immediately
Relationships: Alexios/Stentor (Assassin's Creed)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32
Collections: Shipoween 2020 - The Halloween Ship Exchange!





	I'd stay if you asked me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [greygerbil](https://archiveofourown.org/users/greygerbil/gifts).



These days the Adrestia sailed at the behest of the Spartan Kings and was therefore easy to find if you knew where to look for her. It also meant that messages, especially from Sparta, arrived quicker. 

For once the messenger had been looking for Stentor instead of Alexios and the letter he brought did not carry either king’s seal.

“Bad news?” Alexios asked once Stentor had finished reading.

He nodded. “A man of my syssitias died. I’ll have to return to Sparta immediately.”

“The winds are in our favour or so Barnabas would say”, Alexios replied, tilting his head into the air as if he actually understood anything about sailing.

“Our mission is not finished. I can take another ship”, Stentor replied. The talks with the government of Kos had been slow-going and perhaps his father could finish them in his absence.

“Don’t be ridiculous, the Adrestia is the quickest ship moored to this island”, Alexios objected. “Besides, the talks cannot go on without you here.”

Part of Stentor wanted to argue with Alexios jut for the sake of it, despite him being right. His desire to be there to give Aristokleios the honours he deserved was stronger in the end.

“Fine.”

/

Meganike had never been a frail woman, as children she had bested them all in spear throwing and had won the Herean Games many times. She had warded off three different kidnappings before choosing Aristokleios as her husband.

Now though Stentor could see the price she was paying for her pregnancy. It was called a woman’s war for a reason. She looked exhausted, her movements slow and she had to stop to catch her breath every few moments.

“It is good to see you, Stentor”, she said as she embraced him. Her skin felt cool to his touch and she looked pale, deep rings under her eyes.

“I came as soon as I heard”, Stentor replied, leading her to a bench. It was worrying to see her like this and something told him it wasn’t just the grief for Aristokleios that was the cause. “Take heart that he died as a true Spartan should.”

She gave him a wan smile, then grimaced and put a hand on her stomach. “I do but our son seems very upset. Too young to explain it to him.”

“He will be proud of his father once he’s old enough to understand”, Stentor reassured her. “I will organise the funeral. Do not worry about anything. Take care of yourself and your son.”

“Thank you”, she smiled, warmer and stronger than before. “My brothers are campaigning, but you were always as much of a brother to us as if we were born to the same parents.”

“And you are my favourite sister though I have acquired a new one in the past years.”

“How so?”

“My father’s wife and children have returned to Sparta”, Stentor explained quickly what he knew about what had happened with the cult and his family. Meganike seemed so fascinated with his story that she looked much more focused and less burdened than before. Stentor regretted not being a better storyteller to take her mind off her situation for a little longer.

“What a tale”, She said with amazement once he had finished. “And if a different man had told it, I wouldn’t have believed him, but I know you do not tell falsehoods.”

“I lived through it and I scarcely believe it myself sometimes”, he admitted. It all seemed too fantastical to be true, yet here they were. He didn’t imagine Alexios’ strength and resilience and King Pausanias’s disgrace was a matter of public record.

He brought Meganike back to her doorstep with another promise that he would take care of the funeral arrangements. While he was glad that Aristokleios had died in the only honourable way for a Spartan, he could admit to himself that he wished his friend hadn’t died at all. Not yet. In ten or twenty years time that would’ve been another matter but after everything, he would’ve deserved to see his son grow, to live with his wife.

Stentor shrugged the thoughts off. It was not his place to question the gods.

/

Having his whole family at home was nicer than he had expected. Deimos was a good training partner even if her temper sometimes got the better of her but then again so did his. His father especially seemed happy to have them all together and getting along. 

By now enough time had passed and he understood better what had happened, that Stentor felt ambivalent of how he had treated Alexios in the past. He had been too emotional about the matter, too quick to judge. 

Of course given how his and Alexios’ relationship had changed since they started sailing together on the Adrestia, it was a moot point. 

Stentor didn’t know what to make of Myrrine most of the time. She was a woman who fought for what she wanted and he could respect her for fighting for her family. Despite all the hardships, she had proven that she was the daughter of Leonidas. 

When she asked Meganike to stay with them, Stentor felt something else than respect. The company seemed to cheer Meganike up and Myrrine had born two children. Stentor hoped that her experience would help Meganike when the day came.

“I am glad you have someone.” Meganike said when Stentor brought her back to her chamber.

“What do you mean?” He asked, pulling himself from his thoughts.

“Alexios? Or are you two not…” she trailed off. 

What had Alexios told her? He often kept her company while Stentor was busy with his duties as a Spartan. Despite having gained his citizenship, Alexios occupied a peculiar role in Sparta’s society and only answered to the Kings.

“We are brothers”, he said and when she threw him a look, he amended, “We are closer than brothers.”

“He suits you, I think”, she said, putting her hand on his arm.

“Don’t let him hear you say that. I’ll never hear the end of it”, Stentor joked. She wasn’t the first one to mention how well he and Alexios complemented each other. Even their parents hadn’t been surprised when the issue had come up, although Stentor didn’t know how to feel about it.

“I will keep quiet”, she smiled. “Good night.”

“Good night.”

/

Meganike went into labour the morning of Aristokleios’ funeral. As this was not his battle to fight, Stentor went to the field where Aristokleios was meant to be buried. The body had been wrapped in red cloth the night before and was carried on his shield by Stentor and the other members of their syssitias. 

Spartan funerals were simple undertakings, no great speeches and feasts like the Athenians did. Doing one’s duty was not worth a spectacle, Stentor thought as he poured the wine onto the grave as an offering to Hades.

Still, seeing the grave stone with Aristokleios’ name on it, filled him with pride. When he would take Aristokleios’ son here, he could show him that his father had died with honour and tell him stories how he had lived with honour as well.

“I will make a sacrifice at Illythia’s temple before we return”, Stentor told Alexios when the funeral had finished.

“Lead the way”, Alexios replied. He had stayed by Stentor’s side as much as possible these last few days and Stentor appreciated it. He had never thought that he would want someone outside of his syssitias or his father, but he sought Alexios’ company for different reasons.

Illythia’s temple was nearby the temple of Artemis Orthia, where Stentor had sacrificed since returning to Sparta. Now though he prayed for the goddess to protect Meganike and her son. There was significance in him being born on the day of his father’s funeral.

A good omen, Stentor hoped.

“She means a lot to you”, Alexios said when they left the temple. “Not just as your friend’s wife.”

“Meganike is my friend in her own right”, Stentor replied. “We were rivals at first”, a smile gracing his lips when he thought back to that time. “She could’ve outrun Atalante, so I never stood a chance. But in spear throwing we were equals and so we would compete against each other every single time. It didn’t matter who else was better than both of us, we only cared which of us was the best.”

“And Aristokleois?”

“Aristokleios was a synthrophus like me”, Stentor explained. “We promised each other to become Spartan citizen, to make the city proud that had given us the chance to rise above our station.”

“You were perekoi?”

“We were helots. A group of boys from the agoge had come to our village to steal food, a normal part of training”, he added with a look at Alexios. “Aristokleios and I tried to fight them off, despite them being older and outnumbering us. But it was winter, and we needed every bit of food to survive.”

“Did you manage to?”

Stentor gave him a withering look. “Of course not. But it was enough to impress their teachers, Cleomphoros and Nikolaos, who returned to sponsor us for the agoge.”

/

Myrrine awaited them at the door. “She did not make it.”

Stentor felt as if someone had pulled the ground out from under his feet. Death was no stranger but that his oldest friend’s family should experience such tragedy in such a short time seemed unfair beyond words.

“But her children did.”

“Children?”

“She carried twins. That may have been why the pregnancy was so hard on her. They are small but healthy, a boy and a girl.”

Stentor squared his shoulders. He knew what he had to do. He called for wine and when it was brought, washed the two children in it like a father would have done. They cried loudly, their small size betraying the power of their lungs. Cleomphoros had died years ago and Meganike’s brothers were out on the battlefield.

His father rested a hand on Stentor’s shoulder. “I’ll let the Ephors know you wish to stand in a father’s place for these two.” He looked very proud of Stentor’s decision.

“Have you decided on a name?” Myrrine asked.

Stentor nodded. “Cleora and Lysander.” Meganike’s father and Aristokleios’ mother, he wanted the children to know their heritage and to be proud of it.

/

If there was one conversation he dreaded to have, it was the one he needed to have with Alexios. Stentor was a father now, he had obligations beyond his duty for Sparta and Alexios…Alexios was free to leave.

“I don’t expect you to stay.”

Alexios shrugged. “Sparta and Athens are at peace, there’s not much for me to do. The Cult is finished, and I found my family. Maybe it’s time I settle down and learn how to be a good Spartan now that I have my citizenship again.”

“You could find a wife – “

“I don’t know if you noticed but I don’t have much interest in wives. Besides our parents will be delighted to become grandparents and father especially will be relieved that I found a good Spartan husband. I think he was afraid I’d run off with Alcibiades.”

Stentor sighed, exasperated by Alexios’ refusal to take the situation seriously. “No quip about your sister?”

“Please, Kassandra will love living in Sparta. She’d be perfect to teach the girls. In fact, give her ten years and Sparta will have an army of women no less fearsome than their army of men.”

“And what will you do?”

“Sparta has a navy now. I’ll find a way to be useful to the city”, Alexios said cheerfully. “Any other objections? Will father demand an outrageous bride price for your hand?”

“There is no such thing as a bride price in Sparta. We are not Athenians. And I’m not your bride.”

“Well, what do I have to do then?”

“A kidnapping would be the usual way.”

Alexios eyes lit up. “I can do that.” Without a warning he hoisted Stentor up and threw him over his shoulder, quickly crossing into the bedroom before setting him down on the bed.

“Consider yourself kidnapped”, he said as he closed the door.

Stentor sighed but he did not get up to leave.

Perhaps he was learning to pick his battles after all.


End file.
